Why isn't this article on the/. main page? If europe would say no to SWP it would send a very strong signal to the US, and maybe act as a catalyst world wide against SWP. I think this "online-event" can be a quite effective demontration if it gets adopted by _many_ sites world wide. [irony] But of course, i am dreaming now, people are way to lasy and have the politicians they deserve [/irony].

It sounds as though people already are making their voice heard on this issue. Today I was listening to a radio debate [bbc.co.uk] on the future of the European Parliament broadcast on BBC radio 4 [bbc.co.uk]. (The broadcast will be repeated Saturday 10:15pm.) One of the participants, a British MEP, said she had received many messages from constituents about the new software patent directives -- proving, as she said, the importance of the EP in representing citizens' interests in EU legislation. Personally I'm in no doubt that the unofficial/. campaign against the directive was responsible for a large number of said messages.